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[3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

The Penitent Blade

“Glory? There is no glory, no joy in battle. When a man raises his blade, all that surrounds him—and all that he knows in that moment—is emptiness. And so it is not for glory, or for riches, that I fight. I fight because I seek to bear the burden of death upon my own two shoulders, that others might not feel it’s cold embrace. Kneel, soldier, and seek your penance."
--Anselm von Adris, Penitent Blade

There are men and women who choose to fight for money. Others fight for power, for revenge, or to satisfy bloodlust. Penitent Blades are not those men and women. Penitent Blades have a wholly different conception of battle.

Battle is not a stage for empty heroics, nor is it something to take pleasure in. Battle is filled with despair. Dark, terrifying. And to a Penitent Blade, that is the way that it should be.

That way, people learn to fear battle and to choose the path of non-violence where possible. To bow their heads and ask forgiveness for the horrors they have wrought and the sorrow they have caused. To kneel and let their tears flow in the hopes that the gods will at last take pity on man and grant him an understanding of his pain and freedom from his burden.

Becoming a Penitent Blade

Entry RequirementsSkills: Martial Lore (5 Ranks)BAB: +7Maneuvers: Must know 8 maneuvers, at least two of which must be from the Penitent Martyr discipline.**Special: Must have willingly fought a battle in defense of another at the risk of one’s own life, with no personal gain to be had of any kind.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pentitent Blades gain proficiency with Heavy Armor if they are not already proficient in its use.

Maneuvers Known/Readied: At each even-numbered level, you gain one new maneuver known, chosen from any four of the following disciplines: the Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, Diamond Mind, Army of One, or Penitent Martyr. This is decision is made at first level, and cannot be changed once made.

You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it. You add your full Penitent Blade level to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and the highest level of maneuver you can learn. If you have levels in an initiator class that allows you to exchange out maneuvers at certain levels, your Penitent Blade levels stack with your levels in that class for determining when you may exchange maneuvers. At 2rd, 5th and 8th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied each day.

Stances Known: At 3rd and 8th level, you gain a new martial stance known from any of the Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, Diamond Mind, Army of One, or Penitent Martyr disciplines, limited to the four Disciplines chosen at 1st level. You must meet a stance’s prerequisites to learn it.

Blade of a Thousand Regrets: At 1st level, a Penitent Blade makes a pact with themselves and the world to demonstrate to others the sorrows of battle. As part of a week-long ritual, the Penitent Blade forges a special weapon known as a Blade of a Thousand Regrets. It is automatically of masterwork quality and possesses the Merciful enchantment (which does not count towards its normal enchantment ceiling), allowing it to deal non-lethal damage at the users wish. A Blade of a Thousand Regrets grows in power as the Pertinent Blade grows stronger. Starting at 2nd level, the weapon receives a +1 enhancement bonus its attack and damage rolls, and is treated as a magical weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 4th level, and every even level after that, the enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 10th level. The weapon can be enhanced further to a maximum of +10. However, because of it's nature, enchanting the weapon further is done as if the natural enhancement granted by this class feature was not present (so at 4th level, even though this class feature would give it a +2 enchantment bonus, the Penitent Blade could enchant the weapon as if it had no enchantment at all).

Additionally, the Penitent Blade may trade out the enhacement bonuses granted by this ability for weapon abilities/enchantments at a 1-to-1 cost. Every time a Penitent Blade spares an enemy from death, he may alter his weapon's chosen enchantments.

This weapon is the physical manifestation of all the sorrow in its wielders heart and has the following combat statistics (as for a Medium weapon):

A Blade of a Thousand Regrets is a reach weapon that is also capable of being used against adjacent opponents. When used with reach, it deals 1d10 damage and has a critical threat range of 20/x3. When used on an adjacent opponent, it deals 1d6 damage and has a critical threat range of 19-20/x2. It can be used for trip attacks, and grants its user a +2 bonus on any such attempt.

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Penitent Swordsmanship (Ex): A Penitent Blade is most at ease when the battles do not involve the death of its participants. As a result of the value they place on life, beginning at 1st level, a Penitent Blade may add +1/2 Penitent Blade levels to his attack and damage rolls when dealing non-lethal damage. Furthermore, if the Penitent Blade succeeds in knocking a creature unconscious through non-lethal damage, he gains a morale bonus to Armor Class and saving throws for the rest of the encounter equal to 1/4th his character level.

Repentence Made Steel: Penitent Blades, rather than allowing their sorrow to weaken them, instead draw upon it as a source of strength and use it as a weapon. Beginning at 2nd level, the Penitent Blade gains the Weapon Focus feat with his Blade of a Thousand Regrets, and may treat it as a discipline weapon for a single chosen martial discipline. At 4th, 6th, and 8th level, he may choose a new discipline for which his Blade of a Thousand Regrets may be considered a discipline weapon.

To Bear the Burden (Su): All Penitent Blades fight with the well-being of their comrades in mind. They act as beacons to their allies, absorbing their sorrow and leaving their companions with joy, while they themselves bear the burden of pain and regret. By 2nd level, a Penitent Blade has learned how to shoulder burdens affecting his companions. As an immediate action 1/day per two Penitent Blade levels, the Penitent Blade may choose to bear any of the following status conditions in place of an ally within 30 feet. In essence, the Penitent Blade subjects himself to the conditions and spares the ally the attendant suffering. In other words, if a Penitent Blade's ally was Blinded, the Penitent Blade could choose to use this class feature to remove the Blinded condition from his ally, but in doing so would render himself Blinded.

The duration and magnitude of these effects are exactly as they would have been if the ally remained under their influence. A Penitent Blade cannot bear a condition he would normally be immune to (but see From Acceptance, Strength).

Resolve of the Bereaved (Ex): A Penitent Blade of 3rd level has reached a point where he is instinctively able to sense and aid a companion in danger. A number of times per day equal to 1/4th the Penitent Blade’s character level, he may spend an immediate action to allow an ally to use one of his base saves in place of their own for purposes of a saving throw.

Gift from the Depths of Grief (Su): A Penitent Blade in battle is a figure of unimaginable regret and pain. Having seen comrades fall into Death’s embrace, they stand and continue on, tears running down their blade. A Penitent Blade would do anything to prevent their comrades from dying, and as such, a Penitent Blade of 4th level or higher may use a Counter or Stance as normal, granting its benefits to any ally of their choice within 30 ft. as well as themselves. At 8th level, this ability can be used for the benefit of two allies. If the ally or allies leave the range of this ability, it ceases to effect them.

Aura of Despair (Ex): At 5th level, the despair in the Penitent Blade’s soul has become so overwhelming that it manifests outside their body as an aura of utter sadness and regret. All creatures within 30 feet of the Penitent Blade not considered allies must make a DC (10+1/2 character levels+Intelligence or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher) Will Save or take a -1/4 character levels morale penalty to attack and damage rolls, as well as saves. This aura can be suppressed or resumed as a free action.

Unyielding Body (Ex/Su): At 5th level, a Penitent Blade gains the benefits of the Diehard feat even if they would not ordinarily meet its prerequisites. In addition, the Penitent Blade may cast Delay Death (with a CL equal to their class level) as a free action 1/day per two Penitent Blade levels, regardless of whether or not it is their turn. Once used, this ability may not be used again for five minutes.

Strength of the Sorrowful (Su): In a field of marigolds, Penitent Blades stands with their heads raised and their spirits girded, though death and destruction surround them. A Penitent Blade of 6th level gains a bonus equal to his Intelligence or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher, to all saves.

From Pain, Acceptance (Ex): A Penitent Blade pierced by arrows is a man at peace, for as his suffering damages his body, it also grants clarity to his mind. Beginning at 7th level, whenever a Penitent Blade would be subject to a condition as a result of their To Bear the Burden class feature, they are entitled to make any save or saves that their ally had failed in order to resist the conditions. A success or failure functions exactly as it would have in the original circumstance (such that if a failed save would have resulted in a partial condition for the Penitent Blade’s ally, it functions as such now).

From Acceptance, Strength (Su): Over the course of their lives, Penitent Blades learn to channel their pain into a source of untold power, a wellspring from which they draw during the heat of battle. When under the effects of To Bear the Burden, a Penitent Blade of 8th level or higher initiating a martial maneuver against an opponent may, as part of the initiating action, choose to expend a maneuver of the same level to transfer the condition affecting them to the opponent. If the attack succeeds and damage is dealt, the Penitent Blade is free from the condition, and the enemy must bear it in their stead.

If the Penitent Blade is immune to any of conditions from To Bear the Burden, they may expend two uses of the ability to “carry” it for purposes of From Acceptance, Strength. He may also "carry" any effect he successfully saved against as a result of his From Pain, Acceptance class feature even if it did not negatively affect him.

Serene Sorrow (Ex/Su): At 9th level, a Penitent Blade becomes immune to [mind-effecting] abilities as a result of the overwhelming sorrow filling his soul. This aspect of the ability is extraordinary. Any creature attempting to use such an ability on the Penitent Blade is instead forced to make any saves the ability would have required. If they fail, they themselves must bear its ill-effects. If no save would have been offered, they must bear its ill-effects and in addition receive an untyped -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls, armor class, and saves as a result of the backlash. This latter aspect is a supernatural ability, and can be negated as a result of anti-magic fields.

Strike of Unyielding Penitence (Su): A Penitent Blade of 10th level is a physical incarnation of the world’s pain and sorrow. Tears of obsidian roll down their cheeks, and their eyes gaze outward like silver mirrors. Once per day, a Penitent Blade may expend an immediate action to designate an opponent as an Unrepentant. Each time the Penitent Blade successfully uses a martial maneuver against that opponent, the creature is forced to confront the full weight of its sins.

As a result, each strike increases the creature’s encumbrance by one stage. Once a creature reaches their maximum encumbrance, they are treated as helpless. At this point, the Penitent Blade may at last use their Blade of a Thousand Regrets as it was meant to be used. As an executioner’s blade. Shedding a single obsidian tear, the Penitent Blade may execute the creature as a standard action, killing it instantly, regardless of its current status or hit points. There is no save. Creatures immune to death effects and/or critical hits are instead dealt 10d10 points of untyped damage.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Typically, I hate blowing my own trumpet, but this discipline might be worth consideration for the Penitent Blade's accessible disciplines.

With a quick glance over the class, I don't see anything particularly awry, but I'm kinda tired at the moment and so could easily have missed something. I'll try and get a blow-by-blow up at some point.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

This is a really cool idea for a class. Grief and despair are 'weapons' typically reserved for the powers of evil, but this class lets you harness them -- perhaps regretfully -- for good purposes as well.

Aura of Despair (Ex): At 5th level, the despair in the Penitent Blade’s soul has become so overwhelming that it manifests outside their body as an aura of utter sadness and regret. All creatures within 30 feet of the Penitent Blade not considered allies must make a DC (10+1/2 class levels+Wisdom modifier) Will Save or take a -1/4 class levels morale penalty to attack and damage rolls, as well as saves. This aura can be suppressed or resumed as a free action.

When you say "-1/4th class level penalty", is there a minimum penalty? If I'm looking at this right, the penalty will be a decimal until 8th level, right? I think that it should have a minimum penalty of 1, or else work off of the total character level rather than just the levels in this class.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Originally Posted by Steward

This is a really cool idea for a class. Grief and despair are 'weapons' typically reserved for the powers of evil, but this class lets you harness them -- perhaps regretfully -- for good purposes as well.

When you say "-1/4th class level penalty", is there a minimum penalty? If I'm looking at this right, the penalty will be a decimal until 8th level, right? I think that it should have a minimum penalty of 1, or else work off of the total character level rather than just the levels in this class.

This is total class levels (in all other places I say Penitent Blade levels). I guess character level is just easier.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Needs an ability called "Raise Your Head".

Alright, let's start the PEACH.

Sorry to lead with this, but this class is poorly edited. In Stances Known, you need to add the word "disciplines" onto the end of the first sentence. For Blade of Thousand Regrets, you should say "It is automatically of masterwork quality and possesses the Merciful enchantment...".

Skills: You have every discipline skill as a class skill except Shadow Hand's Hide. Why is that?

Blade of Thousand Regrets: A magic weapon's abilities are called "enchantments", while its bonuses to attack and damage rolls are called "enhancements". Try this wording:

A Blade of a Thousand Regrets grows in power as the Pertinent Blade grows stronger. Starting at 2nd level, the weapon receives a +1 enhancement bonus its attack and damage rolls, and is treated as a magical weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 4th level, and every even level after that, the enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 10th level.

Penitent Swordsmanship: Nice ability. Pretty useful, very flavorful. One thing, Armor Class is a game mechanic that is normally capitalized (like AC).

Repentence Made Steel: Again, just a nitpick on wording, you should probably say "gains the Weapon Focus feat as a bonus feat", not "gains Weapon Focus".

To Bear the Burden: This is an interesting ability. You should state what happens if the penitent blade is immune to the condition he would bear (such as if he had levels in paladin before and he decided to bear a panicked condition). Also, I believe unconsciousness should be a valid target as well, though that's just my opinion.

Gift from the Depths of Grief: Very nice ability, but you have an inconsistency throughout this class (this ability is where it became noticeable for me) where you will lead some abilities with good fluff text, and with others, just dive right into the crunch. I'd rather be caught up in the class the whole time, so I suggest you try and write some cool flavor text for each ability.

Aura of Despair: This is a 10 level prestige class, not a base class. The penalty and DC are, therefore, pretty underwhelming. Based on the rest of the class, I think it's pretty safe to say you meant to write "character level" for both of them, in which case, the ability is pretty good!

Unyielding Body: Good feature, needs the (Ex) tag.

Strength of the Sorrowful: Here is definitely an example of where I want to see some depressing flavor text.

From Acceptance, Strength: Based on the name of From Pain, Acceptance, I would expect you to include a clause letting the "carry" effect from immunity also apply to if you had saved and negated the condition with From Pain, Acceptance.

Serene Sorrow: It's...it's a spell-turning effect that you made extraordinary. I don't know how I feel about that...It certainly doesn't feel like an extraordinary ability, but I suppose it wouldn't matter in an AMF, since the mind-affecting wouldn't reach him there anyway, but I feel like this should be able to be dispelled...

Strike of Unyielding Penitence: Hey, that's what I like to see! Izuru Kira would be proud. I suggest you make it clear that creatures immune to [death] effects and critical hits are immune to the execution though.

Awesome hell knight avatar by gr8artist!

"I thought you were a hero."
"Heroes are so common these days."
"All of this, it's all because of you! Why are you here?"
"Run home to your Sister, boy!"

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Well, Seraphi, I don't think you can dispel Su abilities anyway; that's why the Dweomerkeeper is such a borken class in my opinion; it makes spells undispellable.

And I rather like Gift from the Depths of Grief; it actually gives me an idea for a Marshal rewrite, where they learn a Stance from a list of disciplines whenever they would get a Major aura, and can spread that around, with the ability to grant Boosts or to use Counters to defend them coming whenever you would get a minor aura, so something like this:

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

Needs an ability called "Raise Your Head".

Alright, let's start the PEACH.

Sorry to lead with this, but this class is poorly edited. In Stances Known, you need to add the word "disciplines" onto the end of the first sentence. For Blade of Thousand Regrets, you should say "It is automatically of masterwork quality and possesses the Merciful enchantment...".

Fixed.

Skills: You have every discipline skill as a class skill except Shadow Hand's Hide. Why is that?

Hide just did not seem appropriate to the Penitent Blade. I do not see him as cowering or attempting stealth. Rather, he stands ready, stands firm, against his foe, rather than seeking them out.

Blade of Thousand Regrets: A magic weapon's abilities are called "enchantments", while its bonuses to attack and damage rolls are called "enhancements". Try this wording:

A Blade of a Thousand Regrets grows in power as the Pertinent Blade grows stronger. Starting at 2nd level, the weapon receives a +1 enhancement bonus its attack and damage rolls, and is treated as a magical weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 4th level, and every even level after that, the enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 10th level.

Much better. Thanks

Penitent Swordsmanship: Nice ability. Pretty useful, very flavorful. One thing, Armor Class is a game mechanic that is normally capitalized (like AC).

Repentence Made Steel: Again, just a nitpick on wording, you should probably say "gains the Weapon Focus feat as a bonus feat", not "gains Weapon Focus".

Both taken care of. And thanks.

To Bear the Burden: This is an interesting ability. You should state what happens if the penitent blade is immune to the condition he would bear (such as if he had levels in paladin before and he decided to bear a panicked condition). Also, I believe unconsciousness should be a valid target as well, though that's just my opinion.

I just do not see unconsciousness making sense.

Gift from the Depths of Grief: Very nice ability, but you have an inconsistency throughout this class (this ability is where it became noticeable for me) where you will lead some abilities with good fluff text, and with others, just dive right into the crunch. I'd rather be caught up in the class the whole time, so I suggest you try and write some cool flavor text for each ability.

Rejoice! Cry! Flavor has been added.

Aura of Despair: This is a 10 level prestige class, not a base class. The penalty and DC are, therefore, pretty underwhelming. Based on the rest of the class, I think it's pretty safe to say you meant to write "character level" for both of them, in which case, the ability is pretty good!

Unyielding Body: Good feature, needs the (Ex) tag.

Correct on both counts.

Serene Sorrow: It's...it's a spell-turning effect that you made extraordinary. I don't know how I feel about that...It certainly doesn't feel like an extraordinary ability, but I suppose it wouldn't matter in an AMF, since the mind-affecting wouldn't reach him there anyway, but I feel like this should be able to be dispelled...

I made it so that his immunity is Ex, but the rebound effect is Su.

Strike of Unyielding Penitence: Hey, that's what I like to see! Izuru Kira would be proud. I suggest you make it clear that creatures immune to [death] effects and critical hits are immune to the execution though.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Originally Posted by Amechra

Well, Seraphi, I don't think you can dispel Su abilities anyway; that's why the Dweomerkeeper is such a borken class in my opinion; it makes spells undispellable.

And I rather like Gift from the Depths of Grief; it actually gives me an idea for a Marshal rewrite, where they learn a Stance from a list of disciplines whenever they would get a Major aura, and can spread that around, with the ability to grant Boosts or to use Counters to defend them coming whenever you would get a minor aura, so something like this:

TABLE SNIP

So the stances might affect everyone within 30', and they can at-will use a Boost or Counter for a friend...

Sounds like fun, and gives me wonderful ideas...

Thank you.

Correct. You can't dispel them, but they can be suppressed/negated IIRC.

And you're quite welcome. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Man this has got to be one of the coolest classes EVER. I love the way that you use depression and sorrow to protect your allies and defeat your foes. I also especially like the ability to over encumber people at high levels. Keep it up

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Hrrmm... Very unique. The discipline is pretty sweet and so is the class.

Thanks, glad you like it. As for the discipline, thank Edge.

I would ask if you purposely made it so dipping the class did not grant a maneuver known or readied first level and both on second.. Or was that a typo?

No, that is correct. It ended up just working out that way, but on the whole I like it as is. I am not a big fan of 1 level PrC dips.

Where in the world did you find that sword? Thats just crazy... I like it. The mechanical stats are pretty awesome as well.

The sword is Izuru Kira's zanpakuto Wabisuke (The Penitent One). He and his abilities (from Bleach), were the inspiration for the class. I also wanted it to be a very unique weapon that other characters wouldn't have access to.

What about transferring poison? Why can't he do that?

Hmmm. I hadn't considered poisons since "Poisoned" isn't technically a condition. I'll think about it.

Very nice and fluffy class. 1 and 1/2 thumbs up. Its to sad for a double. The class really flows. Kudos.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

First of all, LOVE the flavor of this class. Simply awesome, basically a martial adept paladin of sorrow and regret.

You need to make the "choose 4 out of these disciplines" thing more apparent. I could easily see people missing that the way it's tossed in as a parenthetical. Also, by RAW you can choose a stance from the 5th discipline, since the stances part doesn't reference the 4 disciplines thing. (Also Martyr in the Stances section needs another R).

The scaling enhancement bonus in the Blade of a Thousand Regrets, simply... sucks. No one ever pays for a +5 enhancement bonus since GMW is so easily chained; instead, this feature just makes buying the enchantments you want for the Blade either horrendously more expensive or impossible. I would allow swapping of enhancement bonii for abilities, or at the very least take that part out (or decouple it from the price structure).

When facing enemies immune to nonlethal damage, this PrC is going to be nearly crippled.

Gift from the Depths of Grief needs some more clarification. Is there a range on it? What happens if someone moves further away?

Unyielding Body doesn't do what it says it does, because Diehard is extremely meh, especially at the level you get it. How about instead the ability to do Delay Death X/day on yourself? Or something like that.

Strength of the Sorrowful -- marigolds? Lol.

From Acceptance, Strength needs the word "additional" in there, if it does what I think it does. Also should specify that it's part of the same action (if it is).

Strike of Unyielding Penitence is awesome, though "execute" doesn't have a clear definition in the rules, so that could use some clarification.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Your wording needs some cleaning up on almost all of the abilities; I'd proofread it myself but I've got this splitting sinus headache that's kicking my ass. Essentially, though, the wording is too casual; when you get down to the actual rules of the ability, you need it to be clear and concise.

Originally Posted by Chilingsworth

Wow! Not only was that awesome, I think I actually kinda understand Archeron now. If all the "intermediate" outer planes got that kind of treatment, I doubt there would be anywhere near as many critics of their utility.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Originally Posted by sirpercival

First of all, LOVE the flavor of this class. Simply awesome, basically a martial adept paladin of sorrow and regret.

Thank you!

You need to make the "choose 4 out of these disciplines" thing more apparent. I could easily see people missing that the way it's tossed in as a parenthetical. Also, by RAW you can choose a stance from the 5th discipline, since the stances part doesn't reference the 4 disciplines thing. (Also Martyr in the Stances section needs another R).

Done.

The scaling enhancement bonus in the Blade of a Thousand Regrets, simply... sucks. No one ever pays for a +5 enhancement bonus since GMW is so easily chained; instead, this feature just makes buying the enchantments you want for the Blade either horrendously more expensive or impossible. I would allow swapping of enhancement bonii for abilities, or at the very least take that part out (or decouple it from the price structure).

Fixed and added the ability to swap bonuses for abilities.

Gift from the Depths of Grief needs some more clarification. Is there a range on it? What happens if someone moves further away?

Clarified. 30 ft range, and non-applicable if the ally moves past that range.

Unyielding Body doesn't do what it says it does, because Diehard is extremely meh, especially at the level you get it. How about instead the ability to do Delay Death X/day on yourself? Or something like that.

Good suggestion. Added.

Strength of the Sorrowful -- marigolds? Lol.

Flower symbology. Marigolds=Despair/Regret. What can I say?

From Acceptance, Strength needs the word "additional" in there, if it does what I think it does. Also should specify that it's part of the same action (if it is).

Good call. Clarified.

Strike of Unyielding Penitence is awesome, though "execute" doesn't have a clear definition in the rules, so that could use some clarification.

Re: [3.5 PrC, ToB] "My blade weeps, and I with it."(PEACH!)

Most of the changes look good; this, however:

Unyielding Body (Ex): Penitent Blades do not cede ground and do not falter, no matter their agony. At 5th level, a Penitent Blade gains the benefits of the Diehard feat even if they would not ordinarily meet its prerequisites and may, as a free action 1/day per two Penitent Blade levels, cast Delay Death upon themselves, regardless of whether or not it is their turn. Once used, this ability may not be used again for five minutes.

You need a CL on the effect, and it should probably be a (Su) ability now. I might also reword slightly:

At 5th level, a Penitent Blade gains the benefits of the Diehard feat even if they would not ordinarily meet its prerequisites. In addition, the Penitent Blade may cast Delay Death (with a CL equal to their class level) as a free action 1/day per two Penitent Blade levels, regardless of whether or not it is their turn. Once used, this ability may not be used again for five minutes.